Mr. Douglas Gitonga Rwanda

Email: mutonga@kmfri.go.ke

Douglas Gitonga Rwanda was born on 26/10/1990 in Gantaugu village, Tharaka South sub-county in Tharaka Nithi County. He started his Primary Education at Gakuuru in 1997 and completed in 2005. He then proceeded to Turima Mixed day secondary school in 2006 and Ikuu Boys in 2008 respectively where he sat for KCSE in 2009 and obtained B- grade of which he was not satisfied with. He then went back to Turima Mixed Day Secondary School, resat for KCSE, obtained B plain and gave him a chance to proceed to Kisii University to pursue BSc degree in Natural Resources Management from 2013 to 2016. He graduated with First Class Honors Degree.

In the year 2018, he got a scholarship award from DAAD to pursue MSc degree in Fisheries Management at Kisii University and completed in the year 2021. Then, he got the scholarship award to pursue PhD degree in Aquaculture and Fisheries Management at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources from 2023 to date. During his long vacations and after graduating in 2016, he served as a secondary school teacher at Turima mixed day, Gaciongo, Gakuuru and Mwiru Muthitwa secondary schools.

He was also a part-time lecturer at Kisii university and served with IEBC as a deputy presiding officer and Presiding officer in 2017 and 2022 general elections respectively. He attended environmental and remote sensing data analysis via Geospatial technologies course in Osnabruck University, Germany in September 2025. He served as voluntary intern with KMFRI from 2020 to 2024 at Kisumu and Mutonga stations. In the year 2021, he got internship with Public Service Commission at State Department for Youth Affairs. He served as a casual employee at KMFRI Mutonga station in the year 2025 and now serving as assistant research scientist on a temporal basis.

• ▹ Problem identification: Finding out the main problems affecting aquaculture sector in Tharaka Nithi County through conducting interview schedules to fish farmers and other stake holders as well as reviewing previous fish farming efforts
• ▹ Fish breeding and production: Producing monosex and mixed sex fingerlings for increased production
• ▹ Fish production: Feeding fish and monitoring them in ponds
• ▹ Proposal and Concept development: Writing a manuscript on Domestication of Eels (Anguilla spp.) and Their Nutritional Importance: Prospects for Aquaculture Development in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya
• ▹ Data operations: Regular in-situ measuring of water quality parameters in ponds and tanks in hatchery and also River Mutonga
• ▹ Scientific reporting and dissemination: Writing research notes on eels, analysing field data and making reports
• ▹ Mentorship and outreach: Mentoring one Public Service Commission mentee intern
• ▹ Riverine systems research: Identifying main fish species in River Mutonga, its habitat condition and general river profile as well as main human activities along the river course
• ▹ Local species domestication: Collecting wild eels from River Mutonga and River Kathita and rearing them in tanks within hatchery while observing their feeding behaviour and adaptation to the new environment
• ▹ Extension and capacity building: Guiding and advising fish farmers and students from nearby institutions of higher learning on sustainable aquaculture and possible sources of fingerlings, fish feeds and market

• ▹ Riverine fisheries research
• ▹ Fish breeding
• ▹ Fish production
• ▹ Local species domestication

• ▹ PhD in Aquaculture and Fisheries (Pursuing) – Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2023 to date
• ▹ MSc in Fisheries Management – Kisii University, 2018-2021
• ▹ BSc in Natural Resources Management (First Class Honors) – Kisii University, 2013-2016
• ▹ Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (B plain) – Turima Mixed Day Secondary, 2008-2011
• ▹ Kenya Certificate of Primary Education – Gakuuru Primary School, 1997-2005

• ▹ Eastern Africa Water Association – Member

• ▹ Mentorship and students outreach: Mentoring one Public Service Commission mentee intern at Mutonga Aquaculture Centre
• ▹ Community dissemination: Guiding and advising Hushirika fish farmers association and some other fish farming groups and individuals within Tharaka Nithi County
• ▹ Engage fish farmers show through Mwenge FM radio station on sustainable aquaculture on Sundays from 8 pm – 9 pm